Cyrtanthus mackenii is a charming, hardy bulb for damp morning sun, shade to semi-shade situations. It has glossy, narrow and strappy leaves year round, and in spring and summer, produces an abundance of fragrant, slim, tubular flowers in a variety of colours, from yellow to white, pink, peach and red. This little Cyrtanthus – only 20 cm high – is a beautiful plant for water features, containers, as a groundcover in moderate to damp soils, in both frost and frost-free gardens. Add organic material to soils to aid water retention and provide continuous nutrients through the flowering season. Plant with neck of the bulbs slightly above ground level. Plants prefer to remain undisturbed for a few years and will reward you by forming large, reliably flowering clumps. Keep a look out for the lily borer in the summer months; they can wreak havoc on a small clump. Flowers are pollinated by night-flying moths.